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Handicaps used by the Club

Handicaps used by the Club


The club Race Team can use the following handicap systems:  IRC, YTC and LAH which are explained and compared below.
 
  IRC YTC LAH
Stands for: International Rating Certificate Yacht Time Correction Lymington Adjusted Handicap
How does it arrive at a rating: By detailed information about and measurement of the yacht key data By less detailed information about and measurement of the yacht basic data By analysing each boats performance each time it is raced
In other words: The “Gold Standard” rating ideal for performance yachts The “IRC Lite” version for cruising yachts that are also raced A variable system that allows slower and faster boats a more equal chance to do well
Does the rating vary: No – unless the measured data changes No – unless the measured data changes Yes – each time the boats races
White Sail ratings: Each boat has a rating assuming it will race with a spinnaker and a second “White Sail” rating – see below The same as IRC The same as IRC
How transparent is the rating: Very – all the declared boat data can be found HERE
 		 Very – all the declared boat data can be found HERE
 		 Less so – the rating is performance adjusted by Sailwave software an explanation can be found HERE
Notes:   YTC and LAH are not the same thing LAH use a start rating for any boat that has not raced – this is the YTC rating but only at the start
Time Correction Factor (TCF or TCC): The bigger the rating the “faster” the boat.
 
Corrected Time = Elapsed Time * IRC
 
 
An Elapsed Time of 60 minutes gives:		 The bigger the rating the “slower” the boat.
 
Corrected Time = Elapsed Time * 1000 / YTC
 
An Elapsed Time of 60 minutes gives:		 The bigger the rating the “faster” the boat.
 
Corrected Time = Elapsed Time * LAH
 
 
An Elapsed Time of 60 minutes gives:
  Rating Corrected Time Rating Corrected Time Rating Corrected Time
  1.100 01:06:00 1100 00:54:33 1.100 01:06:00
  0.900 00:54:00 0900 01:06:40 0.900 00:54:00
 

Spinnaker / White Sail ratings in IRC, YTC and LAH
 
IRC and YTC ratings have a “spinnaker” rating and “white sail” rating.  Competitors can elect which of these they would like to be applied per series by prior notification.  Change from one to another cannot be made during a series.
 
The default used by the Race Management team is “spinnaker” handicap and “white sail” will only be applied following a formal request.  Competitors requiring a change must let Race Management know no later than 7 days before the first race of the series.

Competitors can elect to use a different rating in the TEK Early or Late Series and separately the Spring Series.  However, it should be noted that choosing the “white sail” rating could result in your boat dropping from IRC1 to IRC2 or YTC1 to YTC3.
 
 
Obtaining a YTC Rating and it’s use as a starting point for LAH

Commencing with the Spring Series on Sunday 2nd April and applying equally to the TEK series,  there will continue to be a “Lymington Adjusted Handicap” (LAH), last year called NHC.  However, for 2023 YTC ratings will be the standard base rating for each boat from the start.  Anyone sailing in this class must please obtain a YTC rating for their boat, before racing.  The YTC application is simply achieved by online application and all the measured data required should be easily available without the need for measurement.  Please obtain your YTC rating as soon as possible.  To help you, there are two tools to guide you through the application process. Please download them below:
 

YTC APPLICATION HOW TO                YTC SAIL AREA CALCULATION

LAH Handicap

The LAH handicap system is performance based i.e. the software looks at the performance of each boat and the fleet in that class (LAH1 or LAH3) as a whole each time a LAH race is sailed (each Thursday) and adjusts each boat’s handicap based on the performance of that boat compared to the fleet. 
 
The software used is “Sailwave” – it has been used by the club for many years and by many other sailing clubs and is recognised by the RYA.  There is no other “Microsoft” style software that would do the job any better.  In the Sailwave software there are some adjustable “levers” that a club may use to tailor the results to their sailing area and in our case the challenge of the strong tides etc. mean that we do decide to move the levers when the overall adjustment looks out of alignment with reality.
 
In order to remove some of the mystery of such a performance-based system, we have prepared a document which sets out to explain the levers in simple terms. 
 

LAH PERFORMANCE ALORITHM